Santbal A Saint with a Difference

Author(s): T U Mehta
Publisher: Navjivan Prakashan Mandir

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expelled by the so-called Jain leaders on the ground that his activities were not "Saintly" ! Santbalji found that the association of the name of one individual with the organisation which takes up the work of public nature of this type was hindering further collection of money, even though the objective was very laudable. Thenceforward he decided that no donation should be accepted on condition of associating the name of the donor with the said donation. This principle is still followed by "Bhal-Nalkantha Prayogik Sangh, Gundi" which is working since last about fifty
years.
Consolidation of Agrarian Power :
After his Chaturmas in Vaghjipura in 1938 A.D. Santbal had also undertaken the task of consolidating and unifying the farmers of the neighbouring villages. This he could substantially achieve by organising conferences of village leaders and arranging seminars. An agreed constitution of allied villages was adopted which contained rules of individual and social behaviour. Initially this worked very well as strict obsevance of these rules restricted anti-social activities and provided good relief to people. About 112 villages of Nalkantha area joined the organisation. Object of these organisations was to make the villages self-sufficient in the production of grains, cloths, residence, health, education and observation of the rules of law and order. There were three basic concepts in the rules of these organisations, namely, (1) Every member should save at the rate of Rupee one per sale of every maund of grain; (2) In case of dispute between any members, there should be arbitration and not resort to Court proceedings; and (3) The activities of the organisation must remain nonpolitical, but if any political question arises to be considered, the organisation would support only the Congress Party. This last named concept was the subject-matter of adverse criticism, but the justification was sought on the ground that it was only the Indian National Congress which has effectively struggled and led
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